NL GenWeb

West Coast Region ~ Bay St. George District

Historical Information

Petition by Residents of Bay St. George to the Governor of St. Pierre
and Miquelon, 1871

The following, from a
document held in the Archives at St. Pierre, has been translated from
French text with the names placed into sequential order. Where applicable,
I have taken the liberty of altering the French names (as shown in the
footnote) to correspond with their anglicized equivalents as they are
known to the present day. As can be readily seen some of these family
names are of origin other than French but a wife, mother, or grandparent
of the listed person would be of French descent.

Allan T. Stride, Ottawa

To his Excellency,
the Honorable Governor of St. Pierre & Miquelon,
Honorable Governor
That it pleases your excellency. That we, resident fisherman of Bay St. George beseech
your Excellency, that enemies of the poor residents living in this Bay have sent
petitions to the Government of St. John's asking that laws be introduced putting
the Bay under its control.
That these laws can not have any other outcome but to make us pay taxes on all
merchandise that we bring to market and also on our fishing boats and nets.
That the Magistrate and collectors will only hinder your fisherman who have been
fishing many years in the Bay.
That we are living here in a Territory which does not belong to us and in which we
do not even have the rights to fish if you wish to prevent it.
That we consider ourselves French subjects rather than English in view of the fact
we are living on your coasts and that we are nearly all French or descendants of
French families
That peace reigns in the Bay and we do not see where it is necessary that it be from
the Magistrate, that the resident ministers of the different congregations are respected
by all the inhabitants of the country and all other persons who desire to live here.
That your humble petitioners pray your Excellency will surely have pity and that you will
do all in your power to stop the Governor of St. John's from passing any nominations
whatsoever for Bay St. George nor for any other area on the West Coast of Newfoundland.
Bay St. George 11 February 1871
Athanase LANGLOIS
Auguste TOUTANT